1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector, which has a high possibility of being used in a large-capacity wire harness used where large-capacity power transmission is desired in hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
In hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, and the like having achieved a remarkable improvement in recent years, a large-capacity wire harness connecting a motor and an inverter is provided with a multipolar connector at one end having three three-phase AC power wires aggregated therein. The power wires have become larger-sized with higher motor power. For example, in order to enhance rigidity, the entire structure of the connector provided at one end of the wire harness has consequently tended to be large-sized.
This is disadvantageous in making products compact and lightweight. To improve such tendencies in recent years, there are market needs for a large-capacity wire harness connector, which is compact or is prevented as much as possible from being large-sized.
Refer to JP-A-2001-35589, for example.
In the above background, there is a new problem below.
That is, there is a possibility of foreign bodies such as screws (or dust) being mixed in a male-connector housing placed on an device side of the wire harness connector (halved into a male and a female connector), and rendering complete engagement and connection between the male connector and female connector impossible. In the female connector which is on the wire side, even if foreign bodies such as screws are mixed therein, they are easily noticeable and removable.
Accordingly, the present inventors have considered a foreign body preventing means, as a shutter structure, which completely covers an opening of the male-connector housing, and blocks that housing opening when in complete disengagement and disconnection between the male and female.
However, the above-considered shutter structure causes its opening/closing mechanism to be attached outside the housing (to the surface of the housing), and therefore makes the connector larger than conventional products, and goes against the recent years' market needs as mentioned above. A further improvement is desired.